Originally Posted by
jetlagged
New to this forum and looking for a folding bike. but i definitely think that having 2 different sets of lock that's high quality and difficulty to cut and break is a must, especially in the city. whenever i ride my old beatup bike, there's a reason why i don't see any folders parked and locked in front of a bike rack. from what i read, it's just a thief magnet. another thief deterrent is to have store security keep an eye on your bike if possible for that short time. when i buy a folder (still looking for a good used affordable one that's 9 speed) i would probably buy a u-lock and a compact folding lock
i once read a review of a folding bike where the guy wrote something like, folding bikes is just a rental until a thief can steal it"
I ride pretty much exclusively a folder these days; I don't think they're any more a magnet than a regular bike. Ride-away would be about the same, and while the smaller bike might be easier to carry off, if they're not riding away they're putting it in a truck anyways.
I'm in the same camp, though - two lock types. I'm told, but can't really confirm, that a chain and a good U-lock are a good way to go if you do dual lockup - theoretically because a U-lock is best cut with an angle grinder, while a chain doesn't do grinders much help. I'm skeptical, and frankly I don't know the distribution of tool use in US cities among bike thieves. I would suspect a hydraulic cutter to be more common because it's quieter, but what do I know.
That said I'm in the market for a folding lock as an "always on" lock solution. I'd been thinking about one of the higher end Bordos, but I'd caught wind that Kryptonite's "TKO" was very good for the price as well. I'm more in the market for a combination folding lock, however, since it means I don't have to deal with bringing keys (as I intend to key-alike all of my Abus locks that I can).